


Soft edges

by msarahv



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, POV Alternating, Texting, jack being a softie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-20
Updated: 2016-04-17
Packaged: 2018-05-27 23:19:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6304141
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/msarahv/pseuds/msarahv
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happens in Jack's or Bitty's head after the kiss. No real plot, just moments of fluff between the two.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Jack

**Author's Note:**

> I don’t own omgcheckplease. omgcheckplease is the property of Ngozi Ukazu, and are not my intellectual property. There is no financial gain made from this nor will any be sought. This is for entertainment purposes only.

_Bitty_

The name is ringing in his head during the drive to the restaurant.

His father is driving and his mother is talking about her old college friends. Jack knows he should make the moment count. He won't see his parents for a little while after all, and it's one of these great days when he's managed to make them proud. He's graduated. He's got his diploma and awards and, just, in a little pocket of his heart, a name.

 

_Bitty_

Such a chatterbox, always enthusiastic and full of warmth. It took Jack a while to get used to the incessant talking, and singing, and pushing food and drinks under everyone's noses all the time.

Now, of course, he misses it. His voice, his presence, how his lips felt. He feels invaded just by the memories of the last moments they had together.

He can't help taking his phone out and reread their last texts:

 

**Jack -** Was that alright? Are you angry at me for kissing you without warning?

**Bitty -** Why would I be? I wanted it too. You're important, Jack, you have no idea how much.

**Jack -** You're important too, Eric. I just wished we had more time. I'm an idiot.

**Bitty -** Of course, not. I tried to tell you how I felt and I chickened out. So either we're both idiots or it doesn't matter.

**Jack -** What do you feel about me? I mean, if you don't mind me asking?

**Bitty -** I feel that you should stop being so cautious. I'm not angry at all. Quite the opposite. I'm very very happy.

**Jack -** Good to know.

**Bitty -** Your turn, then.

**Jack -** OK

**Bitty -** I meant tell me how you feel. I'm dying there.

**Jack -** I'm not sure how to say it, Bitty. When you hugged me, earlier, and you sounded so sad, I realized how empty I felt at the idea of you not being around anymore. And when I saw you in my room, I couldn't help myself.

**Bitty** **-** That was great. My shuttle is here. You can text as much as you like but I might not be able to answer quickly.

**Jack -** Sure. Have a safe flight.

 

He pockets the phone, determined to be in the present. He catches his parent's conversation:

"It feels so strange to be back with everyone like that, and speak English, too! I almost felt like I was still in college and I had a class the next day..."

"Oui, maman. I know the feeling."

His mother laughs like little girls do. He's always loved that about her.

"I'm sure you do, munchkin. It's so great you made so many friends..."

She doesn't finish but Jack knows what she means. After rehab. He's been given a second chance at life. He likes how she still calls him by his childhood nickname. He's twice as big as she is and yet he's still her baby.

 

There is much to say about petite, blonde, motherly figures in his life. Men do look for their mother it seems, even in guys.

 

He leaves the restaurant with George. He and Shitty will live together in August but until then, he'll be in a hotel. He sends texts whenever he can, when George is watching the road.

**Jack -** I have many things to tell you but I'd rather say them in person. Will you be able to visit soon?

**Bitty -** In a few weeks, sure. I can't believe you're asking me that.

**Jack -** Why not?

**Bitty -** I may have dreamed about it a little. I'm not sure I won't wake up.

**Jack -** It's real. Maybe you'll wake up in my arms soon.

**Bitty -** It's a good thing the car is dark because I'm sure my face is like a giant tomato.

**Jack -** You have a nice face. I remember thinking that when I met you.

**Bitty -** You didn't.

**Jack -** I did. I thought you were too pretty and too thin to be a hockey player. I've changed my mind on that last one.

**Bitty -** Are you writing all this to lure me to Providence?

**Jack -** No. Is it working though?

 

Bitty buys a plane ticket a few days later. Jack looks at the flight details whenever he's feeling blue, which is a lot. He misses Bitty, he misses his team. He logs in the group chat and they all still call him captain, even Bitty.

 

He buys flowers and hides them in his car. The airport terminal is filled with people hugging and chatting. He wants to kiss Bitty again but not in public, he can't. Bitty looks all shy and unsure, like he was as a frog. Jack opens his arms. With Bitty's warm skin against his, he's whole again, content.

"I've missed you."

"Me too."

 

Bitty loves the flowers and chirps him for leaving them in the heat. He laughs and stutters and Jack can't believe his luck. He remembers Bitty consoling him when they lost the Frozen Four. Frail and strong at the same time. Jack doesn't believe but he prays anyway. He wants to keep Bitty forever.

 

There's no oven in the hotel suite. Bitty looks lost. He's brought cookies for Jack of course, made with love, well that's what Jack hopes at least.

 

"I was thinking we could go walk down town and maybe grab a bite somewhere? Unless you wanted to go to a restaurant instead, I'm sorry I didn't think about..."

"Jack stop." Bitty's finger is on his lips. Then his lips are on his lips. Jack melts inside.

 

"We don't have to be formal. We know each other. I mean.." Bitty should not look so adorable blushing. It's against the law... "You saw me in the showers already."

"Oh... Yeah, I remember."

"Everything?"

Jack is the one blushing now. He kisses Bitty to change the subject. His mattress is soft under their butts. They almost don't go out.

 

He can't help smiling. Bitty is wearing his jacket of course. Jack wonders if he forgot his on purpose. They can't hold hands but they walk side by side. Bitty laughs a lot. He can't tweet and left his phone in the room and Jack is glad that their moment is just theirs.

 

They fall asleep much later, skin against skin, fresh from the shower and high from the pleasure.

 

Jack still dreams of Bitty.

 


	2. Eric

So far, Eric has prepared eight pies. The kitchen is spotless, as it always is and his mother's enormous, reliable, thirty-years old oven, is slowly cooking the last one to perfection.

His mother's busy preparing guests rooms (the actual bedroom for the luckiest guests - aka his grandparents, the attic for his teenager cousins, the folding couch in the laundry/sewing room for his aunt and uncle and... _Well, Dicky, I hope your friend Jack won't mind sleeping in your room. I'll get the air mattress for you and I bought new sheets, although, maybe me and your dad should give him our room instead, after all, he's Jack Zimm... Mommm! No..._ ) and he's excited to see his family for Independence Day, he really is.

But what he's really excited about is seeing Jack. And sharing a bed with him again. The memories he has of his trip to Providence are overwhelming. If someone were to ask about the state of his face, right now, he would have to blame the July weather, or the overworked oven.

 

He starts some bread rolls to distract himself. It doesn't really work, but at least he's occupied. His hands kneading the dough are reminded of the time they were kneading Jack's torso. He also remembers feeling strong and beautiful. He's never felt like that before. Jack was so attentive he had almost broken him with his sweetness. Now, everyday Eric doesn't wake up in his arms is a day less liked.

 

He tries swiping the sweat from his forehead with his forearm but ends up with flour on his face. It rarely happens, but today's a tensed one, with all the anticipation. For a moment, he forgets about his surroundings, the dark oak wood of his parent's kitchen furniture, and instead loses himself in another moment. Jack covered in flour and Eric staring at him like a freak, his heart beating so fast he swear Jack could hear it.

He didn't, of course, not at the time. But when they were together, months later, lying in the monstrous hotel bed, buried under the fluffy comforter Eric wanted to steal for himself, Jack had put his head on Eric's chest and listened to the fading rhythm. He had even tapped his long fingers along on his nipple, turning his head to lock eyes, and to Eric that had been it. The moment he completely lost himself to Jack, soul and all.

 

Now, he's one part of an item and he's happy beyond belief, even if said item is so secret no one knows except themselves. And he misses Jack in a way he didn't know was possible. It's like he's missing a limb, it's painful, yet he relishes the feeling. Because Jack is about to arrive and the pain will be replaced by something...

For once, he can't find words to describe. That's another magic powers Jack possesses (along with making Eric feels like flying) : he shushes Eric down. One kiss and his brain is mush. Even when they talked during the afterglow, he let Jack lead the conversation. Long-distance, he's back to his chattering ways, though but it's okay, it makes Jack laughs a lot.

 

God, Eric wants him to be there, already. _Sheesh!_

That's the exact moment, he can feel arms circling his waist and a kiss land on his neck. It lasts for a few seconds. By the time Eric has turned around, Jack is a foot away, thanking Coach for the ride and carrying his bag. Eric is definitely red, now. Luckily the only person in the room actually noticing him (and not staring awkwardly at the Hockey Legend in their humble kitchen and all...) only smiles knowingly.

 

All evening long, his mother is an embarrassing fangirl, as ever, and Coach is... well, Coach-like, although Jack doesn't seem to mind. He and Eric have more in common than they would have thought. After all, they both grew up with sports-loving fathers and got ultra high expectations about their physical capacities. That's the main reason Eric switched to hockey, which, well, he doesn't regret in the least. He won't try playing professional, he's sure of that, and he doubts he'll still be into playing after graduation, but just for the gift that is Jack... It was all worth it.

 

They go to bed early, because the rest of the family will be there tomorrow morning and they'll need all the energy they can have, _of course, not you Jack, you're a guest of course,_ with lots of civilities before Eric can finally lock his door behind Jack.

He's ready to jump in his arm, kiss him properly as he's desperately wanted to all evening, but Jack isn't even looking at him. Here he is, like a freak, bending and touching and noticing everything and suddenly Eric feels doomed.

 

On his bed lies Señor Bunny, comfortably tucked up, like Eric stages him every morning and, of course, he planned to hide him in a cupboard today, but he forgot.

Now, he wants to disappear, run away from the most embarrassing moment of his love life ever. He'll never have another boyfriend ever. He won't live it down...

 

Jack sits on the bed and takes the little guy in his big hand. He smiles, with his eyes and his mouth, and brushes the fake fur.

"Bonsoir, petit lapin." Then, he does chirp Eric but it's way more bearable then he would have feared : "Will he sleep with us tonight? I'm not sure your bed's big enough for us three."

 

Eric hears the cautious question in the chirping. He sits next to Jack and brushes his arm. Jack lets out a soft sigh and his body relaxes slightly. Eric feels himself blushing, even though he shouldn't now. They've already done more than sleep in the same bed.

"There's an air mattress under the bed. For propriety. I'll take it out tomorrow morning, unless you want to have more room, in that case, I'll sleep on it."

 

Jack shuts him up with a kiss that takes all Eric's breath away. He can look so "chill" sometimes, so tranquil, but when he starts, there's a passion inside that normally only hockey can reveal. The way he whispers:

"Bitty" is enough to make him shiver.

 

Señor Bunny ends up on the window sill, facing away from them, because he's a little rabbit and he would be scarred by what they are doing, so quietly and reverently. Eric tries not to shout in Jack's mouth too much.

 

When they're done, Eric gets a new nickname. He'll look it up tomorrow. For now he's looking into Jack's soft eyes as he says:

"Bonne nuit, mon lapinou."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Bonsoir, petit lapin." = "Good evening, little rabbit."  
> "Bonne nuit, mon lapinou." = "Good night, my little bunny"


	3. Shitty

Shitty looks tensed. He's back from his mother's place and apparently things there went even worse than expected. It feels like his friend is changing fast, leaving behind the free, naked loud-mouthed student, replacing him with a short-tempered, worried Harvard prospect.

So Jack mans most of the furniture and refrains from mentioning Lardo. He doesn't know what happens but Bitty said she's stopped all communication with him too.

 

It feels weird, being so happy and in love, while watching another couple crash to the ground. It makes Jack angsty. He's barely started things with Bitty and yet, he already fears... everything... though mostly himself. He's broken, unworthy. Kent had made it clear... He doesn't want to think about that night... Not when he's starting a new life with his best friend and a boyfriend a text message away. Bitty hasn't said he loved him but that he's happy with Jack and that's already so much. He's coming to Providence for his birthday and staying for a few days. Jack has been postponing the moment but now that the move is complete, he knows it's time to speak up.

"Bitty will be there in two days."

"I know bro. I've already sent him ideas for your birthday pie."

"You did?"

"Yeah bro! You don't think we were going to buy you some lame-ass cake when we'll have our own Bitty there. I haven't had one of those pies in _months_ , man. It's awful."

"I guess..."

Shitty sits on their couch, fully dressed and that's also something to get used to, even though Jack has spent all of his Samwell years begging him to put something on.

But he's gotten distracted and his anxiety is slowly taking over his brain. He lets the words pour out:

"Bitty and I have been dating since graduation. I think I love him and when he'll be there, he'll sleep in my room and I wanted to tell you before, man, but we're keeping it as private as we can and I wanted to be alone with you so I could ask you to help me with that. And, Shitty, it's so great being with him, but if you don't feel like being the third wheel, you tell me and I'll rent a hotel room, and..."

His breathing is out of control. Shitty is massaging his back, drawing circles and whispering:

"Calm down, Jack, you damn sentimental robot. I didn't even know you could... Wow, you and Bitty. If one of you breaks the other one's heart, I'll kill him."

 

Finally, Jack can speak again:

"Thanks, Shitty."

"Yeah, man, I didn't expect this, but it's actually great. Bitty's a great guy, he won't hurt you like..."

He doesn't finish and Jack doesn't know if Shitty is thinking about Kent or Lardo. He won't ask.

"So, anyway, about your birthday, we need some alcohol. Lots of it."

A heated discussion follows until Shitty relents, with the promise that for _his_ birthday, they'll rent a keg. jack hastily agrees. It's getting late and he wants to Skype his boyfriend.

 

On the second, he opens the door to a babbling Bitty and a smirking Shitty. His boyfriend jumps in his arms and stays there a while. Jack's heart is wild. Bitty has so much power over him, he feels like _une marionette_ trusting his puppeteer never to let the strings down.

They kiss and kiss until Shitty slaps his ass and swears at them to stop or he's throwing them from the balcony. He's slowly getting better and Jack smiles and puts Bitty down. A second later, Bitty's in the kitchen, marveling, touching everything, planning and writing on their shopping list blackboard until it's completely filled.

"Oh man, you're so gone."

"I know."

He elbows Shitty and steals the chalk from Bitty's hand. There's a frustrated squeak, some threats that will never become real ("See if I cook any pie for you, tomorrow!") and lots of laughter when Jack starts tickling him.

This is all he wants from life, forever. He'll even forfeit winning the cup if it means he gets to keep Bitty like that.

Of course if he gets both, he won't complain.

 

Bitty likes the bed but complains about the sheets:

"Seriously Jack, white and plain blue? I feel I'm going to sleep in one of your new Falconer's Jersey."

"What's wrong with that?"

"Oh, Lord, Jack, you are _killing_ me! I'll just have to give you one of your presents tonight because... no!"

 

Jack opens the parcel, amazed at the thought that Bitty brought several presents. For him. He tries not to let him see the single tear.

There's a bed cover inside, red and maple-leafed and if you look closely some moose figures here and there. The thing is glorious and Jack almost calls Shitty over to show it and listen to his very American reaction, but then he catches Bitty's expression and doesn't.

 

The cover ends up in the wash basket. Bitty doesn't really mind after all because it gets so hot that they sleep without any of the sheets anyway.

 

His birthday is very quiet and he loves every minute of it. He's wearing Bitty's second present and eating the last one, they've gone out and are looking for a restaurant that's not too nice but not a diner either.

The whole Samwell team has sent him wishes on the group chat, even Bitty, not to raise suspicion. Jack hates it, the secrecy, but for today he lets it slide. Shitty's good at pretending he didn't hear Jack call Bitty 'Lapinou' or at making fun of them for being 'too damn adorable, you make me want to puke!".

 

And in the night, after Bitty has given him his first blow job as a fourth present (and Jack has thought he was dying all through it, Bitty is a very fast learner, indeed), they lie next to each other, talking softly, with the TV blasting from the main room, and Shitty singing at the top of his lungs (Jack's put a paper in the building's hall explaining it was his birthday and it might be noisy just in case, he was so right), but Bitty hears him just fine when he says:

"Je t'aime, Lapinou"

... and seems to know what the words mean as he replies

"I love you too, honey. Did you like your birthday?"

And Jack hugs him really tight until he can feel him shiver:

"I loved it. I don't know how I'll do without you around."

"You'll do fine Jack. You're strong and kind and wonderful."

And for the moment, for that night, Jack believes him.

 


End file.
